Digital storytelling& mobile strategy
Steve ButtryPioneer Editors Meeting
Salt Lake City May 18, 2011
[email protected], @stevebuttry
Read more• Mobile strategy blog posts at
stevebuttry.wordpress.com • Posts coming soon on digital storytelling
and community engagement• Will post examples used here (& more)• Send me your best examples• Slideshare.net/stevebuttry
Tweet all about it#digitalstory1. Play-by-play2. Commentary3. Links (my examples & yours)4. Photos (Flickr, Twitpic, Instagram,
yfrog)5. Facebook updates
Ask about each story• Can you cover the story live?• What are the multimedia elements of your
story?• How can a map help tell your story?• How can you engage the community? • What links will provide greater depth?• Can data provide depth, personal info?• Should you tell this story in an alternate form?• What social media content should you curate?
Live coverage• Liveblog as the story happens (CoverItLive,
ScribbleLive, update story/blog)• Live-tweet (feed into liveblog)• Livestream with webcasts, webcams,
dashboard cam• Feed tweets from community into blog/story• Live data• Text alerts
Multimedia elements• Photos (individual photos, galleries, time
lapse, audio slide shows, submitted, social, media, panoramic)
• Videos (raw, edited, in story, webcam, webcast, security cameras, user-submitted, social media, link to video)
• Animation (Flash, HTML5)• Maps• Bring it all together
Maps• Invite users to tell their stories• Story unfolds live on the map• Map as database• Map in motion• Crowdmap
Engage the community• Crowdsource (investigations, features, events)• Blogs• Polls• Maps• Contests• Hashtags• Sharing tools, ratings• Ask for photos, videos
LinksEditorial reason: ContextEthical reason: AttributionBusiness benefits:• Generate traffic• Boost SEOSending users away works for Google; it will
work for you, too.
Databases
Alternate story form• List• Graphic novel• Timeline• Map• Graphic• Self-directed, not linear
Why you need to connect with community on
Curate social conversationTwitter: Hashtags, live twitter feeds, selected
tweets (Blackbird Pie, Quoteurl)Facebook: Pose question to group or fans,
curate answers for storyFlickr: Invite contributions to your channelYouTube: Embed videos in blogs, storiesQuora: Questions about your communityStorify, Storyful: Choose from multiple tools
@statesman case study
Crowdsource
Crowdsource
Say what you don’t know
Converse w/ public
Link to fresh content
Link to fresh content
Use hashtags
Mobile tools you use?• iPhone• Android• BlackBerry• Other smartphone• dumbphone• Game device
• iPod Touch• iPod• Other music• Kindle• iPad• Other tablet
How we use mobile• Phone• Camera• Photo album• Email• Text messages• Calendar• Maps
• Tweet• Location (4sq, etc.)• Other social media• News on web• Other web use• News apps• Other apps
“Local news is going mobile”• 84% of U.S. adults have cellphones• 47% of U.S. adults get local news on
phone or tablet• 33% of U.S. adults pay for newspaper
subscriptionSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report
“Local news is going mobile”• 42% of cellphone & tablet owners get
mobile weather updates• 37% get info on restaurants, local biz• 30% get general local news• 24% get sports news• 22% get traffic/transportation infoSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report
Mobile audience is young• 70% of 18-29 (63% of 30-49) get local
news on mobile devices• 55% of 18-29 (47% of 30-49) use mobile
devices to find local restaurants, biz• 28% of 18-29 (23% of 30-49) use local
mobile coupons, discountsSource: 2011 State of the News Media Report
Attractive to advertisers?Audience for mobile local news has:• Income (67% of $75K and up)• Education (58% of college grads)• Families (64% of parents w/ minor
children)Source: 2011 State of the News Media Report
Tablet use growing fast• Penetration grew from 4% to 7% in just 4
months• Higher penetration with upper incomes• Projected use by 2012: 41 million
Americans (13%)Sources: 2011 State of the News Media Report,
eMarketer
Mobile opportunity
Source: Borrell Associates, “Mobile Advertising & Promotions Forecast”
Mobile opportunityLocal mobile ad opportunity is bigger than:• Newspapers’ 2009 ad revenue drop• Newspapers’ retail ad drop 2005-2009• Total 2008 newspaper classified revenue• Any newspaper classified vertical at peak
Sources: Borrell Associates & Newspaper Association of AmericaDetails: stevebuttry.wordpress.com
Mobile disrupts• Newspapers• TV• Radio• Music• Web• Photography• Video• Books
• Games• Mail• Phones• Wrist watches• Alarm clocks• Maps• Movies• Toys
Mobile is unique …1. Only personal mass medium2. Permanently carried3. Always connected4. Built-in payment channel5. Available at point of creative inspiration6. Best audience information7. Captures social context of consumption8. Augmented reality to mass markets
Source: Tomi T. Ahonen, Communities Dominate Brands
Mobile-first strategy• Text alerts• Email • Applications (phones & tablets)• Social media (tweets, check-ins, tips)• Location-based news, info & commerce• Easy-to-use mobile websites• Device-flexible (not device-agnostic)• Games (phones, iPads great for games)
Mobile news-gathering• Reporters with smartphones (shooting photos
& videos, tweeting & texting from events, disaster & crime scenes)
• Easy submission tools for the public• Curation of tweets, check-ins, tips, twitpics
Driving• How often do you buy a car?
Driving• How often do you buy a car?• How often do you drive, gas up, service
car, park?
Driving• How often do you buy a car?• How often do you drive, gas up, service
car, park?• Connect drivers with information they
need daily• Connect auto services with drivers
A mobile-first project
• Twitter hashtag• Photo contests• Text alerts• Liveblog• Crowdmap• Short code
Community going to distant event• User photos• Foursquare• Local ad sales• Mobile coupons• Collaborate w/ media in host city• Advance promotion
Mobile: Everyone’s job• Executives emphasize mobile priority• Journalists focus on mobile news & info
delivery & presentation• Tech staff focuses on mobile apps• Designers focus on mobile design• Sales staff meets business customers’
mobile needs
What can small staff do?• Consume news on smartphone (including
editor & publisher)• Push press associations to help w/ apps• Share resources on Pioneer apps• Partner with local college or university
(mobile internships?)• Revenue share w/ developer and/or
advertiser
Mobile-first newsroom• Top editor stresses & shows mobile
priority• Every staffer with smart phone• Mobile planning, emphasis in meetings• Designated mobile leader• Work closely w/ tech & sales staffs to
pursue mobile opportunities
What can top leaders do?• Use Twitter on your phone. A lot.• Use Foursquare (don’t sync w/ Twitter) &
check in regularly (yeah, become a mayor).• Use several apps (including yours) on your
phone.• Lead company planning of mobile-first
strategy.• Appoint & empower mobile leader.
In meetings next week …• Plan mobile-first coverage of an event.• In routine planning meetings, ask about
hashtags, maps, live coverage, curation, community engagement, multimedia.
• Change front-page meeting or weekly publisher’s meeting to a mobile planning meeting or digital-first meeting
Read more• stevebuttry.wordpress.com• @stevebuttry on Twitter• Slideshare.net/stevebuttry
In digital storytelling and mobile-first strategy …
Don’t let obstacles become excuses
Turn them into war stories of success